Here is what the Day of Atonement “SIGNIFIES” and Means

The Day of Atonement portrays key aspects of redemption/payment for your sins and your reconciliation. The high priest's role illustrates mediation between God and humanity, with:

1.) his entry into the Most Holy Place symbolizing access to Divine Presence secured through atonement.

2.) The dual goats represent complementary facets of sin's resolution: the slain goat depicts the penalty of death for sin, while

3.) the scapegoat illustrates the removal and banishment of guilt to a place of forgetfulness.

Typologically, these elements foreshadow the work of Jesus Christ.

1.) The high priest prefigures Christ as the eternal High Priest who enters heaven itself to intercede for believers (Hebrews 9:11-12).

2.) The sacrifices point to Christ's death as the ultimate SACRIFICE OF A GOD’S LIFE via a sin sacrifice/offering, satisfying God's justice,                                                                                  and his resurrection as the assurance of sins being fully removed.

3.) The scapegoat's bearing of sins TRAVELLING into the wilderness echoes Christ as the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29), achieving both propitiation (appeasing wrath) and expiation (removing sin).

Thus, the day portrays the gospel privileges of:

1.) remission of sin and

2.) bold access to God,

3.) alongside the duty of faith (relying on the sacrifice) and repentance.

(Using fasting on this Day, as afflicting the soul for remembering that sin/evil doing has a penalty)

What Fasting Represents on the Day of Atonement

Fasting, as practiced on the Day of Atonement, is not merely abstaining from food and drink but a deliberate act of self-denial and humility before God.

Instead: It serves as a physical expression of an inward spiritual reality, aligning with the day's focus on repentance, atonement, and reconciliation with God. Here’s what fasting represents in this context:

1. Affliction of the Soul (Humility and Repentance)
• The biblical command for the Day of Atonement includes "afflicting your souls" (Leviticus 23:27, Numbers 29:7). Fasting is the primary means of fulfilling this command. By denying the body’s basic needs, individuals humble themselves, acknowledging their dependence on God and their need for His mercy.
• Representation: Fasting symbolizes a heart posture of humility and contrition, recognizing human frailty and sinfulness. It reflects an intentional turning away from self-reliance and worldly desires, focusing instead on seeking forgiveness for sins, which carry the penalty of separation from God (Romans 6:23).
2. Acknowledgment of Sin’s Penalty
• The Day of Atonement centers on the reality that sin incurs a penalty—ultimately, death (Ezekiel 18:4, Romans 6:23). Fasting serves as a tangible reminder of this penalty, as it involves voluntarily embracing physical weakness and discomfort, mirroring the spiritual consequences of sin.
• Representation: By fasting, individuals physically experience deprivation, symbolizing the spiritual "death" or separation from God caused by sin. It underscores the gravity of sin and the need for atonement to restore the relationship with God, as provided through the sacrificial system in the Old Testament and ultimately through Jesus Christ in the New Testament (Hebrews 9:11-14).
3. Mourning and Sorrow for Sin
• Fasting is often associated with mourning and grief in Scripture (e.g., Joel 2:12-13, Nehemiah 9:1). On the Day of Atonement, fasting expresses sorrow for personal and communal sins, as well as a longing for reconciliation with God.
• Representation: The physical act of fasting represents an emotional and spiritual mourning over sin, acknowledging its destructive impact and the need for divine forgiveness. It’s a way to "feel" the weight of sin’s consequences, aligning the body with the soul’s repentance.
4. Purification and Spiritual Focus
• By abstaining from food and drink, individuals set aside earthly distractions to focus on spiritual renewal and communion with God. The Day of Atonement was a time for Israel to be cleansed from sin (Leviticus 16:30), and fasting facilitates this by prioritizing spiritual over physical needs.
• Representation: Fasting symbolizes a cleansing of the self, a turning away from worldly sustenance to seek sustenance from God alone. It represents a desire to be purified from sin and to draw closer to God’s holiness, recognizing that only He can provide true atonement.
5. Submission to God’s Judgment and Mercy
• The Day of Atonement was a solemn day when God’s judgment on sin was ritually addressed through sacrifices (Leviticus 16). Fasting reflects submission to God’s righteous judgment, acknowledging that sin deserves punishment, while also seeking His mercy through repentance.
• Representation: Fasting stands for surrender to God’s will, accepting the penalty of sin (spiritual death) while pleading for His grace and forgiveness. It embodies the tension between justice (sin’s penalty) and mercy (God’s provision of atonement).

Fasting as a Physical Act Reflecting Spiritual Truth

The physical act of fasting on the Day of Atonement is not an end in itself but a means to embody and “Internalize” spiritual truths.

By forgoing food and drink, individuals physically experience weakness, hunger, and discomfort, which serve as metaphors for the spiritual consequences of sin=

1.) emptiness,

2.) brokenness, and

3.) separation from God. This act of self-denial reinforces the day’s purpose: to remember that sin carries a penalty, to repent, and to seek reconciliation through God’s atoning work.

In the Christian context, fasting on the Day of Atonement (if observed) can also point to Jesus Christ, the ultimate atonement for sin (Hebrews 10:10-14). The physical act of fasting becomes a way to identify with Christ’s suffering and sacrifice, remembering that He bore the penalty of sin on behalf of humanity.

Conclusion

Fasting on the Day of Atonement represents:

• Humility and repentance before God.
• Acknowledgment of sin’s penalty (death and separation from God).
• Mourning and sorrow for personal and communal sin.
• A desire for spiritual purification and focus on God.
• Submission to God’s judgment while seeking His mercy.

By afflicting the soul through fasting, individuals physically and spiritually align themselves with the solemn reality that sin has a cost,                                                                                                 but through repentance and God’s provision of atonement, forgiveness and reconciliation are possible.

This act of fasting on Atonement Day serves as a powerful reminder: of the need for:

1.) humility,

2.) repentance, and

3.) reliance on God’s grace to overcome the penalty of sin.